The present invention relates to a filter unit for a fume extraction device and a combination appliance having a cooktop and a fume extraction device having such a filter unit.
In kitchens, it is known to use so-called downdraft fans instead of fume extractor hoods which are arranged above a cooktop, for example on the room wall or ceiling, in order to extract fumes and vapors which are producing during cooking. Such downdraft ventilation is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2013 007 722 A1. In this case, a cooking steam inlet opening placed in the cooktop plane is connected via an exhaust channel system to a vacuum source. The downdraft ventilation in this case is provided as a separate appliance between two cooktops or adjacent to a cooktop. In order to prevent the entry of liquids into the vacuum source, it is known to arrange a filter element in the exhaust channel system and to provide a trough below the filter element for collecting liquids and other contaminants. A drawback with this known filter arrangement is that liquid which enters the cooking steam inlet opening has to pass through the filter element before it reaches the trough.
A cooktop with central extraction of cooking fumes in the downward direction is also disclosed in WO 2012/146237 A1. In this cooktop, one or more recesses are incorporated in the region around the geometric surface center of gravity. Devices are provided below the cooktop for the extraction of cooking fumes. The devices for the extraction of cooking fumes are preferably constituted by radial fans which are fastened to the lower face of a cooktop housing and via which air is extracted upwardly out of cooking fume extraction chambers located therebelow. A fat filter insert may be introduced into the recess, the lateral walls of said fat filter insert being permeable to cooking fumes and the bottom thereof forming a collection tray. In this fat filter insert, although the collection tray is able to serve for receiving liquids, when a filling state of the collection tray which is greater than the height thereof is reached, the liquid will again penetrate into the filter material.